20 aug 2017
Dozens of extremist settlers, on Sunday morning, stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque from Mughrabi gate, guarded by Israeli occupation forces and police.
Al Ray sources said that dozens of settlers stormed the mosque courtyards in batches, since the morning hours, accompanied by rabbis, who gave explanations about the alleged temple.
Settlers stormed the courtyards provocatively, taking pictures of several places.
Colonial Israeli settlers raid al-Aqsa courtyards almost daily, to impose the reality of temporal and spatial division of the mosque, and Judaizing East Jerusalem.
Al Ray sources said that dozens of settlers stormed the mosque courtyards in batches, since the morning hours, accompanied by rabbis, who gave explanations about the alleged temple.
Settlers stormed the courtyards provocatively, taking pictures of several places.
Colonial Israeli settlers raid al-Aqsa courtyards almost daily, to impose the reality of temporal and spatial division of the mosque, and Judaizing East Jerusalem.
19 aug 2017
Israeli authorities released a 19-year-old Israeli terrorist from administrative detention — an Israeli policy of imprisonment without charge or trial — on Friday, after he was detained in June for allegedly attacking Palestinian communities.
The Hebrew language version of Haaretz reported that the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, released Elia Nativ, a resident of the Yitzhar colony in the occupied West Bank district of Nablus, from administrative detention after some two months, in a rare case in which the policy was used against a Jewish Israeli.
The policy of administrative detention is almost exclusively used against Palestinians, with 450 Palestinians held under the policy as of July, according to prisoners’ rights group Addameer.
Haaretz had previously reported that Nativ was suspected of vandalizing Palestinian properties, including setting fire to Palestinian cars in the villages of Huwwara and Burin, located nearby the Yitzhar settlement, and puncturing tires of vehicles parked near diplomatic offices and international agencies, including the United Nations in Jerusalem.
Another Israeli was also reportedly detained over similar charges, but was not held under administrative detention, Ma’an reports.
According to Haaretz, the Shin Bet believes that Nativ is a member of an extremist Jewish group called “Foundation of the Revolt,” which reportedly operates out of the illegal Israeli outpost of Baladim. However, in recent weeks the residents of the outpost were removed, causing most of the extremists to move to the Yitzhar settlement.
Amiram Ben-Uliel, who was charged with murdering three members of the Dawabsha family in the Nablus-area village of Douma after setting their house on fire two years ago, was also part of this extremist movement, according to Haaretz.
An upwards of some 600,000 Israeli settlers reside in occupied Palestinian territory in violation of international law. The international community has repeatedly called their presence and rising population the main impediment to potential peace in the region.
The UN reported earlier this month that after a three-year decline of settler attacks on Palestinians, the first half of 2017 showed a major increase in such attacks, with 89 incidents being documented so far this year.
“On a monthly average, this represents an increase of 88 percent compared with 2016,” the UN said. The attacks during this time period have led to the deaths of three Palestinians.
Israeli media has reported that the Shin Bet has also warned the Israeli government over the alarming trend and has “called on the government to adopt urgent measures to prevent further deterioration,” according to the UN.
Palestinian activists and rights groups have long accused Israel of fostering a “culture of impunity” for Israeli settlers and soldiers committing violent acts against Palestinians.
Israeli authorities served indictments in only 8.2 percent of cases of Israeli settlers committing anti-Palestinian crimes in the occupied West Bank in the past three years, according to Israeli NGO Yesh Din.
Meanwhile, Palestinians allegedly or actually committing any attacks on Israelis are often shot dead at the scene, in what rights groups have deemed “extrajudicial executions,” or face long prison sentences.
The Hebrew language version of Haaretz reported that the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, released Elia Nativ, a resident of the Yitzhar colony in the occupied West Bank district of Nablus, from administrative detention after some two months, in a rare case in which the policy was used against a Jewish Israeli.
The policy of administrative detention is almost exclusively used against Palestinians, with 450 Palestinians held under the policy as of July, according to prisoners’ rights group Addameer.
Haaretz had previously reported that Nativ was suspected of vandalizing Palestinian properties, including setting fire to Palestinian cars in the villages of Huwwara and Burin, located nearby the Yitzhar settlement, and puncturing tires of vehicles parked near diplomatic offices and international agencies, including the United Nations in Jerusalem.
Another Israeli was also reportedly detained over similar charges, but was not held under administrative detention, Ma’an reports.
According to Haaretz, the Shin Bet believes that Nativ is a member of an extremist Jewish group called “Foundation of the Revolt,” which reportedly operates out of the illegal Israeli outpost of Baladim. However, in recent weeks the residents of the outpost were removed, causing most of the extremists to move to the Yitzhar settlement.
Amiram Ben-Uliel, who was charged with murdering three members of the Dawabsha family in the Nablus-area village of Douma after setting their house on fire two years ago, was also part of this extremist movement, according to Haaretz.
An upwards of some 600,000 Israeli settlers reside in occupied Palestinian territory in violation of international law. The international community has repeatedly called their presence and rising population the main impediment to potential peace in the region.
The UN reported earlier this month that after a three-year decline of settler attacks on Palestinians, the first half of 2017 showed a major increase in such attacks, with 89 incidents being documented so far this year.
“On a monthly average, this represents an increase of 88 percent compared with 2016,” the UN said. The attacks during this time period have led to the deaths of three Palestinians.
Israeli media has reported that the Shin Bet has also warned the Israeli government over the alarming trend and has “called on the government to adopt urgent measures to prevent further deterioration,” according to the UN.
Palestinian activists and rights groups have long accused Israel of fostering a “culture of impunity” for Israeli settlers and soldiers committing violent acts against Palestinians.
Israeli authorities served indictments in only 8.2 percent of cases of Israeli settlers committing anti-Palestinian crimes in the occupied West Bank in the past three years, according to Israeli NGO Yesh Din.
Meanwhile, Palestinians allegedly or actually committing any attacks on Israelis are often shot dead at the scene, in what rights groups have deemed “extrajudicial executions,” or face long prison sentences.
In the Ibrahimi School Courtyard and around the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil city, there are hundreds of old and modern Palestinian houses. However, the unfortunate side of this picture is that several of these homes have become “hornets’ nests” where extremist Jewish settlers live after taking them over with the help of the Israeli occupation authority (IOA).
In the southeast corner of the Ibrahimi School Courtyard, some Palestinian families live in an old three-story house belonging to the family of Abu Rajab al-Tamimi.
The house, which overlooks the Ibrahimi Mosque, has been for a while another prey for Jewish fanatics, who attempted several times before to seize it and recently managed under Israeli military and security protection to force the Palestinian residents out and occupy it.
Mohamed Abu Rajab, the home-owner’s son, has appealed to his fellow Palestinian citizens in al-Khalil and other occupied areas to intervene and help the families restore the house.
“Some 120 settlers stormed our house about two weeks ago. They detained us on the first floor and prevented us from going up to the upper floors and the roof. They physically assaulted us and pushed my mother to the ground, trying to kill her. All that happened under military protection,” Abu Rajab told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC)
“This was not the first time they raided the house. They broke into it in 2012 and stayed there for days before the [Israeli] army drove them out, and later they stormed it in 2013, occupying it for several days before being evacuated,” he explained.
“They have come back more ferociously this time…they are backed by Israeli ministers and lawmakers. They are still occupying the second and third floors as well as the roof, cramming us on the first floor and controlling our entry and exit,” he added.
Abu Rajab pointed out that the settlers embarked on carrying diggings inside the house and causing damage to its structure.
For his part, Imad Hamdan, head of al-Khalil Rehabilitation Committee, stated that the IOA and settler groups always take advantage of certain political developments to create new faits accomplis on the ground through carrying out more settlement activities and grabbing lands and homes.
“As you know, the break-in at the house of Abu Rajab family took place as the Jerusalemites were busy rallying at the Aqsa Mosque’s gates to protect it,” Hamdan said.
He told the PIC that the residents of the house would receive a legal help to force the settlers to leave as happened in 2012 and 2013.
In the southeast corner of the Ibrahimi School Courtyard, some Palestinian families live in an old three-story house belonging to the family of Abu Rajab al-Tamimi.
The house, which overlooks the Ibrahimi Mosque, has been for a while another prey for Jewish fanatics, who attempted several times before to seize it and recently managed under Israeli military and security protection to force the Palestinian residents out and occupy it.
Mohamed Abu Rajab, the home-owner’s son, has appealed to his fellow Palestinian citizens in al-Khalil and other occupied areas to intervene and help the families restore the house.
“Some 120 settlers stormed our house about two weeks ago. They detained us on the first floor and prevented us from going up to the upper floors and the roof. They physically assaulted us and pushed my mother to the ground, trying to kill her. All that happened under military protection,” Abu Rajab told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC)
“This was not the first time they raided the house. They broke into it in 2012 and stayed there for days before the [Israeli] army drove them out, and later they stormed it in 2013, occupying it for several days before being evacuated,” he explained.
“They have come back more ferociously this time…they are backed by Israeli ministers and lawmakers. They are still occupying the second and third floors as well as the roof, cramming us on the first floor and controlling our entry and exit,” he added.
Abu Rajab pointed out that the settlers embarked on carrying diggings inside the house and causing damage to its structure.
For his part, Imad Hamdan, head of al-Khalil Rehabilitation Committee, stated that the IOA and settler groups always take advantage of certain political developments to create new faits accomplis on the ground through carrying out more settlement activities and grabbing lands and homes.
“As you know, the break-in at the house of Abu Rajab family took place as the Jerusalemites were busy rallying at the Aqsa Mosque’s gates to protect it,” Hamdan said.
He told the PIC that the residents of the house would receive a legal help to force the settlers to leave as happened in 2012 and 2013.
Two Israeli settlers attacked, on Thursday, a Palestinian bus driver near the Bat Ayin settlement, in Gush Etzion settlement bloc, southwest of Bethlehem.
Israel’s Channel 7 said, according to the PNN, that the settlers assaulted the Palestinian driver, sprayed him with pepper spray, beat him and tried to damage his car, after they confirmed he was an Arab.
According to the channel, the settlers approached the driver who was standing by his vehicle away from the settlement. The settlers started conversing with him to make sure that he was an Arab, then they sprayed pepper and attacked him, before finally fleeing the scene.
Israeli police claimed that they opened an investigation into the incident, and that they have detained the settlers, whom they said reported were 15 years old.
Israel’s Channel 7 said, according to the PNN, that the settlers assaulted the Palestinian driver, sprayed him with pepper spray, beat him and tried to damage his car, after they confirmed he was an Arab.
According to the channel, the settlers approached the driver who was standing by his vehicle away from the settlement. The settlers started conversing with him to make sure that he was an Arab, then they sprayed pepper and attacked him, before finally fleeing the scene.
Israeli police claimed that they opened an investigation into the incident, and that they have detained the settlers, whom they said reported were 15 years old.
A group of fanatic Israeli colonists hurled stones, on Friday evening at several Palestinian homes adjacent to Keryat Arba’ illegal colony, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Resident Jamal Es’eifan said the soldiers hurled stones at his home, in addition to the homes of Jamil Es’eifan, Abdul-Hai Es’eifan and Jamil Da’na.
He added that the latest assault in part of a series of attacks, which have recently witnessed a serious escalation, largely in Jaber area, Wadi an-Nassara, and Salayma neighborhood, especially on Friday’s and Saturday’s.
He also stated that most of these attacks happen in front of Israeli soldiers and police officers, who fail to intervene, let along attempt to stop them.
Resident Jamal Es’eifan said the soldiers hurled stones at his home, in addition to the homes of Jamil Es’eifan, Abdul-Hai Es’eifan and Jamil Da’na.
He added that the latest assault in part of a series of attacks, which have recently witnessed a serious escalation, largely in Jaber area, Wadi an-Nassara, and Salayma neighborhood, especially on Friday’s and Saturday’s.
He also stated that most of these attacks happen in front of Israeli soldiers and police officers, who fail to intervene, let along attempt to stop them.
16 aug 2017
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday demolished two coal-production facilities and seized several tons of wood in Ya'bad town to the southwest of Jenin, local sources reported.
Representative of coal workshops in Ya'bad, Kayed Abu Baker, said that an Israeli force accompanied by bulldozers broke into the area and confiscated several tons of wood used for manufacturing charcoal.
In an interview with Quds Press, Abu Baker added that the Israeli bulldozers swept away huge amounts of coal that were still under manufacturing causing a fire in the neighboring lands.
Abu Baker explained that Palestinian coal-production workshops are targeted at the request of Israeli settlers in the nearby settlements who claim that these workshops pollute the environment and cause health problems.
Abu Baker stressed in previous statements that Israeli settlers invent false excuses to seize more Palestinian lands in favor of expanding settlements.
He pointed to the existence of similar coal plants in the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories near the Israeli population centers yet no complaints are raised against them.
He noted that there are more than 30 coal-production workshops in the area which are repeatedly targeted by the IOF and which represent the main source of income for more than 1,000 Palestinian families living in Ya’bad and the surrounding villages.
The Palestinian unionist affirmed that the demolition on Wednesday took place without a prior warning, adding that owners of coal-production facilities in the area had previously filed complaints to human rights organizations and courts about the Israeli targeting of their facilities without reaching any positive result.
He continued that they will keep in contact with the concerned authorities to take the necessary legal steps against these violations.
Representative of coal workshops in Ya'bad, Kayed Abu Baker, said that an Israeli force accompanied by bulldozers broke into the area and confiscated several tons of wood used for manufacturing charcoal.
In an interview with Quds Press, Abu Baker added that the Israeli bulldozers swept away huge amounts of coal that were still under manufacturing causing a fire in the neighboring lands.
Abu Baker explained that Palestinian coal-production workshops are targeted at the request of Israeli settlers in the nearby settlements who claim that these workshops pollute the environment and cause health problems.
Abu Baker stressed in previous statements that Israeli settlers invent false excuses to seize more Palestinian lands in favor of expanding settlements.
He pointed to the existence of similar coal plants in the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories near the Israeli population centers yet no complaints are raised against them.
He noted that there are more than 30 coal-production workshops in the area which are repeatedly targeted by the IOF and which represent the main source of income for more than 1,000 Palestinian families living in Ya’bad and the surrounding villages.
The Palestinian unionist affirmed that the demolition on Wednesday took place without a prior warning, adding that owners of coal-production facilities in the area had previously filed complaints to human rights organizations and courts about the Israeli targeting of their facilities without reaching any positive result.
He continued that they will keep in contact with the concerned authorities to take the necessary legal steps against these violations.
89 Jewish settlers stormed the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday morning from al-Magharebah gate under tightened security measures by Israeli police and Special Forces.
Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem said that the settlers roamed the courtyards of the holy site and received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
Israeli police maintained the usual security measures at the gates of al-Aqsa Mosque and confiscated the IDs of worshipers who were flocking to the holy shrine. The latter, however, confronted the settlers’ incursion by chanting “Allah the Greatest”.
Islamic Endowment Department in Jerusalem said that the settlers roamed the courtyards of the holy site and received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
Israeli police maintained the usual security measures at the gates of al-Aqsa Mosque and confiscated the IDs of worshipers who were flocking to the holy shrine. The latter, however, confronted the settlers’ incursion by chanting “Allah the Greatest”.
Israeli settlers on Wednesday morning installed caravans on a Palestinian land adjacent to the separation fence between Beitar Illit settlement and Nahalin town, west of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank.
Head of the town’s council, Subhi Zeidan, said in a press statement that a group of settlers from Beitar Illit outpost, which was illegally established over Palestinian lands of Nahalin, Housan and Wad Fokin towns, set up ten caravans in the area.
He opined that these moves are aimed at seizing as much as possible of the Palestinian land for settlement expansion.
Head of the town’s council, Subhi Zeidan, said in a press statement that a group of settlers from Beitar Illit outpost, which was illegally established over Palestinian lands of Nahalin, Housan and Wad Fokin towns, set up ten caravans in the area.
He opined that these moves are aimed at seizing as much as possible of the Palestinian land for settlement expansion.
15 aug 2017
119 Jewish settlers stormed the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Tuesday morning from al-Magharebah gate under the protection of Israeli police.
The Jewish settlers roamed the courtyards of the holy site and received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
Israeli police allow another round of the settlers’ incursion into the sacred shrine in the afternoon for one hour. On Fridays and Saturdays no incursions are allowed.
The Jewish settlers roamed the courtyards of the holy site and received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
Israeli police allow another round of the settlers’ incursion into the sacred shrine in the afternoon for one hour. On Fridays and Saturdays no incursions are allowed.
14 aug 2017
Over 73 Jewish settlers stormed the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Monday morning from al-Magharebah gate under the protection of Israeli police, according to Quds Press.
Quds Press said that the Jewish settlers received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
In a similar context, member of the Israeli Knesset Yehuda Glick was present at al-Asbat gate in protest at banning Israeli MKs from entering the Muslims’ holy site.
Quds Press said that the Jewish settlers received explanations on the alleged Temple of Solomon during the incursion.
In a similar context, member of the Israeli Knesset Yehuda Glick was present at al-Asbat gate in protest at banning Israeli MKs from entering the Muslims’ holy site.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) demolished Monday afternoon a number of Palestinian facilities south of Yatta town in the southern West Bank province of al-Khalil.
According to the PIC reporter, several Israeli military vehicles stormed Zawadin area in the town and carried out bulldozing operations before starting to demolish residential and agricultural facilities belonging to Hadhalin family.
During the raid, Israeli settlers of the nearby illegal settlement of Karmiel carried out provocative acts and attacked Hadhalin family members under the protection of Israeli forces.
On the other hand, Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian-owned lands with the aim of expanding the Maon illegal settlement at the expense of local vineyards.
According to the PIC reporter, several Israeli military vehicles stormed Zawadin area in the town and carried out bulldozing operations before starting to demolish residential and agricultural facilities belonging to Hadhalin family.
During the raid, Israeli settlers of the nearby illegal settlement of Karmiel carried out provocative acts and attacked Hadhalin family members under the protection of Israeli forces.
On the other hand, Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian-owned lands with the aim of expanding the Maon illegal settlement at the expense of local vineyards.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III said, Sunday, that a two-week old Israeli District Court ruling upholding a 99-year lease of church property in Jerusalem’s Old City, to Jewish settler organizations, is politically motivated.
Theophilos said, at a press conference in the Jordanian capital of Amman, that this legal battle, which has been going on for a decade, has resulted in an unjust decision that has ignored very clear legal evidence presented by the church, which made it clear that it was done in “bad faith, bribery and conspiracy” for the benefit of the group of settlers from Ateret Cohanim.
He said, according to WAFA, that this ruling can “only be explained as politically motivated.”
He said that 40 members of the Israeli parliament are pushing for a law which would alter the rights of the churches in Jerusalem in freely handling their property, warning that this bill, if passed, would violate international treaties and infringe on freedom of worship.
The patriarch said his church is going to appeal the District Court’s ruling, which he said will have a grave negative impact on Christian presence in the Holy Land, at the Israeli Supreme Court.
“The church will do everything within its power so that this unjust ruling will be overturned,” he said.
He called on church and world leaders to coordinate their activities and intervene to prevent this ruling from taking hold.
Theophilos said, at a press conference in the Jordanian capital of Amman, that this legal battle, which has been going on for a decade, has resulted in an unjust decision that has ignored very clear legal evidence presented by the church, which made it clear that it was done in “bad faith, bribery and conspiracy” for the benefit of the group of settlers from Ateret Cohanim.
He said, according to WAFA, that this ruling can “only be explained as politically motivated.”
He said that 40 members of the Israeli parliament are pushing for a law which would alter the rights of the churches in Jerusalem in freely handling their property, warning that this bill, if passed, would violate international treaties and infringe on freedom of worship.
The patriarch said his church is going to appeal the District Court’s ruling, which he said will have a grave negative impact on Christian presence in the Holy Land, at the Israeli Supreme Court.
“The church will do everything within its power so that this unjust ruling will be overturned,” he said.
He called on church and world leaders to coordinate their activities and intervene to prevent this ruling from taking hold.
13 aug 2017
Dozens of Israeli settlers escorted by policemen stormed on Sunday morning the plazas of holy al-Aqsa Mosque, in Occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli special forces broke into al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate and cordoned off its plazas shortly before 69 settlers showed up at the site and performed sacrilegious rituals.
The Israeli settlers attended sermons on the history of the alleged Temple Mount.
At the same time, 15 Israeli intelligence officers broke into the site during the morning break-in shift.
Dozens more are expected to storm al-Aqsa—Muslims’ third holiest site—during the afternoon shift.
Israeli special forces broke into al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate and cordoned off its plazas shortly before 69 settlers showed up at the site and performed sacrilegious rituals.
The Israeli settlers attended sermons on the history of the alleged Temple Mount.
At the same time, 15 Israeli intelligence officers broke into the site during the morning break-in shift.
Dozens more are expected to storm al-Aqsa—Muslims’ third holiest site—during the afternoon shift.